R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

JAGRAON
ASSOCIATION: An emergency meeting of the Medical Practitioners Association of Punjab Block, Jagraon, was held in which Dr Rajinder Singh, President, Ludhiana district and Mr Amrik Singh, President, Jagraon block, participated alongwith 150 RMP doctors. The meeting condemned the Health Department of Punjab and the Indian Medical Association for getting registered about 10,000 cases against the RMP doctors, though many of them have been acquitted. They decided to intensify their struggle against the government for its attitude till the government does not concede to their demand of recognition. They also decided to make their stir a mass movement and later on presented a memorandum to the local SDM.

NO HEADWAY: The police has failed to recover computers in spite of the registration of the case no 50 dated March 24, 2001, at the instance of Ms Satinderjit Kaur, Principal of Guru Hargobind Public Senior Secondary School, Sidhwan Khurd. The theft of Monitor-2 LG-I provision, key board-3 Samsung, Mouse-4 Logitech and Prison, CVt-1 light Grey colour, UPS.-3 Shashwat, Mouse Pad-1 shashwat, speaker-4 Yamaha-2 Docible, CPU-4 of the value of Rs 1,50,000 was reported by the Principal.

JALANDHAR
OVER CHARGING: The Jalandhar Paper Merchants Association, has alleged that civic authorities were over-charging octroi on paper by two per cent. The commissioner of the local Municipal Corporation assured the association on Wednesday that the staff concerned was ordered not to harass the papers merchants.

MAY DAY: A seminar was organised by the Employees Federation of the Punjab State Electricity Board to mark the Labour Day, here on Tuesday. The adverse impact of the liberalisation process initiated by the central government was discussed.

RETIRED: A cultural function was organised by the Punjab State Veterinary Officer’s Association, on the retirement of Deputy Director, Dr (Major) Bhupinder Singh, on Wednesday.

LUDHIANA
CLEANLINESS DRIVE: A drive “Cleanliness-A Mission Possible”, started here by Christian Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday. It has been felt from a long time that there is nothing clean about the road that leads to the CMC Hospital. Apprehending the gravity of situation a drive to clean up the road was started. People from all walks of life participated and initiated the painting of outer wall of the hospital. The Mayor, Mr Apinder Singh, assured that no garbage dump will be allowed to be formed near the hospital. He also said the Municipal Corporation is going to set up the most modern and effective garbage plant in 20 acres of land soon.

GROWTH REGISTERED: The Ludhiana division of the Life Insurance Corporation of India, which covers three districts — Ludhiana, Bathinda and Mansa, has registered an astounding growth of 70 per cent in the First Premium Income (FPI). According to a press release issued here on Thursday by the Divisional Manager, the total FPI collected was Rs 41.37 crore against last year’s collection of Rs 24.42 crore. There is a growth of 19.80 per cent in the sale of policy as this year number of policies sold were 86,726 as compared to last year sale of 73,208 policies. This year the sum assured (sum at risk) was under written to the tune of Rs 773.37 crore against Rs 578.12 crore last year showing a whopping growth of 33.70 per cent. In this financial year, the division has settled claims of more than Rs 87 crore.

MEETING: A meeting of members of the Taxation Bar Association from all over Punjab is being convened on Saturday at Hotel Baron here to discuss important issues. According to Mr Ashok Juneja, President, and Mr Bhagat Ram Kaushal, Secretary of the association, it was proposed to form a Punjab-level body of Taxation Bar Associations of advocates and income tax practitioners. Further, the meeting would discuss and finalise the strategy to launch a stir for getting statutory powers under Section 44A B and acceptance of various other demands.

FLAYED: The Indian Ex-Services League (Punjab and Chandigarh) has flayed the political parties, who resort to all sorts of tactics and gimmicks to woo the ex-servicemen at the time of elections. The IEL President, Lieut-Col C.S. Dhillon, said in a statement that setting up of special ex-servicemen cells by various political parties and raising the pending demands of the former members of armed forces, when the election were at anvil, was a pure and simple fraud to hoodwink the ex-servicemen. He made an appeal to all rank and file, the war widows and their dependents not to be misled by false promises of political parties and further made it clear that the league had no truck, whatsoever, with such political parties.

HAILED: The Punjab Government Pensioners Association has hailed the state government’s decision for grant of old age allowance to the pensioners at the age of 65 and 75 years instead of the earlier 70 and 80 years respectively. Mr Yash Pal Ghai, Additional General Secretary of the association, said in a statement here that the decision will benefit more than one lakh government pensioners. He urged the Punjab Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, to direct the finance department to issue the notification to this effect as early as possible.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
UNION MEETS CEO: After discussing various demands of teachers with the deputation of the Government Teachers Union, Punjab, the Circle Education Officer, (CEO), Patiala Circle, at Nabha on Wednesday decided that pending cases of confirmation will be finalised within 15 days. According to the press note released here Mr Balbir Singh Ghuman, district president, Fatehgarh Sahib, the deputation was led by the state president, Mr Paramjit Singh Gandhri.

MANSA
SUICIDE: Kala Singh (22), a resident of Riyand Kalan village, allegedly committed suicide on Wednesday by consuming pesticides. He died on the way to hospital. He committed suicide reportedly due to some domestic dispute.

PCMSA MEET: A meeting of the district PCMS association was held on Wednesday under the presidentship of Dr Romesh Katodia. The meeting resolved that the government doctors should be given legal and insurance cover by the state government and the Punjab Health System Corporation limited and the condition of three-year rural service in PCMS for admission in postgraduate courses should be considered from the date of joining to the date of entrance examination.

ARRESTED: Rakesh Kumar, resident of Thamanwala village in the district has been arrested and a 0.12 bore pistol with large number of cartridges recovered from his possession. This was stated here on Thursday by the SSP, Dr Sharad Satya Chauhan.

MALERKOTLA
KILLED: Nirbhay Singh ( 40 ), resident of Nathumajra village, was killed in a mishap near Dholpur Majra village on Wednesday. According to information, Nirbhay Singh was going to Dholpur Majra when his scooter collided with a tractor-trailer.

NAWANSHAHR
TOUR: Sixtyfive students and 15 teachers of the eight schools being run by social worker, Baba Naubatrai in collaboration with Zila Sakharata Samiti and NGOs for slum children were taken for an educational tour to Ropar, Anandpur Sahib and Nangal dam on Thursday. They visited historical gurdwaras and Ropar Headworks, said Mr Didar Shetra, the Sakharata Project coordinator.

DONATED: The teachers of the School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, have announced a donation of 500 Canadian Dollars, annually, as bursaries, to three needy students of the Guru Nanak College of Nursing, Dhahan Kaleran. This was informed by Mrs Jasbir Kaur, principal, on Wednesday.

PATIALA
MEETING: A meeting of officers and employees of the State Bank of Patiala, who had opted for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme, was held at the local Baradari Gardens on Thursday. During the meeting it was unanimously decided to form a welfare association for the retired employees and a five-member ad hoc committee was also formed to work out other details. The next meeting will be held on May 10 at the same venue. On the occasion, two minutes silence was observed to mourn the deaths of Mit Singh, a driver working with the bank, and Ram Manohar Tiwari, who took voluntary retirement from the bank and expired last month.

DHARNA: On a call given by the Punjab Federation of University Teachers Association (PFUTA), teachers of all universities of Punjab organised dharnas in front of their colleges on Thursday in protest against the authoritarian and undemocratic attitude of the Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, and also against the denotification of the democratically elected executive of the Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA).

TEAM VISITS MANDIS: The team lead by Jathedar Kirpal Singh Khirnian, member, SGPC, in the Grain Market of Samrala tehsil found that there is no slackness in buying wheat by any purchasing agency but many farmers was protesting for delay in lifting of wheat in the mandis because the trucks were not available in sufficient numbers. Prof Tehal Singh Dhanda, while talking to mediapersons said Jathedar Khirnian have assured the arhtiyas that every grain of wheat in the mandis will be lifted within two days positively. The team also visited the markets of Khamanon and focal point, Modudan, and were satisfactory. The team has sent its report to the government to build some sheds, Mr Tehal Singh added.

CHANDIGARH

SUICIDE: A 25-year-old man hailing from Uttar Pradesh committed suicide in Sector 11 here on Wednesday. Police sources said the body of Vijay Kumar, who was working with a cable operator here, was noticed by his friends on Thursday morning. The sources revealed that a suicide note, confirming his failure in love, was also found from his pocket. After registering a case, the police has sent the body to the Panchkula General Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

HARYANA

AMBALA
VILLAGERS LOCK UP BDO: The Block Development Officer of Barara was locked up in a room by villagers of Dhanauri over the formation of the Gram Vikash Samiti on Wednesday when the BDO had gone to the village regarding the formation of the samiti, which had been hanging fire for sometime. At the village school, the meeting between two village groups was organised. During the meeting, one of the groups objected to the inclusion of a person in the samiti. That led to an altercation between the two groups. In the meantime, one group forced the BDO into a room and locked it up. The BDO could be freed only after the police arrived at the village.

SWAROZGAR YOJANA: A sum of Rs 2.26 crore has been spent under the Swaran Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana which has benefited 766 persons in 2000-2001. The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said to encourage self-employment and small industries, 33 units were set up. He said during March, 3125 tonne vegetables, 2710 tonne fruits and 28.05 tonne of fish was produced, according to a press note. Mr Gautam said during 2000-2001, potable water had been provided in 47 villages. He said under the 20-point programme, 2623 children were administered DPT and polio drops and 2959 children were administered BCG dose.

STUDENTS STABBED: Two students were injured in an incident of stabbing on Nicholson Road in Ambala Cantonment on Wednesday evening. The students, who sustained injuries, were taken to a nearby hospital. The incident took place when they were returning after attending classes. They were accosted by a few students from their class and the duo was stabbed. Two of the assailants were nabbed by a traffic constable who was on duty closeby. The students apparently had a verbal altercation over some issue in the afternoon.

BHIWANI
OPEN DURBAR: The Deputy Commissioner, Mr H.S. Malik, speaking in an open durbar at the Panchayat Bhawan on Wednesday asked the district authorities to look into the grievances of the people at the earliest. He directed the officers of the Public Health and Irrigation Department, to make potable water available to all villages and towns of the district.

TWO ARRESTED: The Charkhi Dadri police has arrested two persons, for allegedly giving false witness in a court. Krishan Kumar and Balwan Singh Nambardar of Jemli village were attempting to avail a Jeep on surety of a fictitious witness in the court of Mr J.R. Duggal. The Judge smelt foul and ordered their arrest.

ELECTED: The following have been unanimously elected to the All India Telecom Employees Association IIIrd Class, Bhiwani: president — Mr Girdhari Lal Bansal; vice president — Mr Sri Krishan Gautam; secretary — Mr Indraj Singh Punia; joint secretary — Mr Jai Singh; cashier — Mr Ram Narain.

KAITHAL
POLYTHENE HAZARD: The Deputy Commissioner Mr Phateh Singh Dagar, addressing media persons here, on Tuesday, disclosed that the use of polythene has become a serious health hazard, hence, people will be encouraged to use cloth or jute bags. Mr Dagar told the mediapersons that the functioning of the local civil hospital would be improved upon and the operation theatre would be air-conditioned.

SONEPAT
HR WORKERS: The following were elected as the new office-bearers of the Sonepat depot of the Haryana Roadways Workers Union, affiliated to the Sarv Karamchari Sangh, Haryana: president — Mr Ranbir Singh Malik; vice-president — Mr Krishan Rathi; and, secretary — Mr Samsher Singh.

THRESHER MISHAP: A youth was reported to have lost his hand when it was trapped in a thresher at Bidhlana village. The injured youth was sent to the Medical College Hospital at Rohtak for treatment.

PHONES: A large number of telephones at Kharkhauda town and its adjoining areas remained dead for second day on Thursday following a fault in the telephone exchange at Kharkhauda.

ACCIDENT: A youth sustained serious injuries when a truck hit the mule cart near Baroli village. The truck driver managed to escape, the injured youth was immediately hospitalised.

WATER SUPPLY: the officials of the Public Health Department disconnected the main line of the water supply in the Prabhu Nagar area on Wednesday after receiving reports of water contamination.

INAUGURATED: A former Haryana Minister and a veteran Indian National Lok Dal leader Mr Ved Singh Malik inaugurated on Monday a new commercial market, constructed by the Ganaur civic body at Ganaur.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

COMMITTEE: The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has set up a regional committee to ensure the proper implementation of various schemes launched to help the poor and make recommendations regarding the procurement, distribution and transportation of foodgrains in Himachal Pradesh. The 22-member committee will be headed by Mr Suresh Chandel, MP from Hamirpur constituency.